Combined spacer and clamp for concrete forms



y 1936- I H. EQCOATES 2,046,674.

COMBINED SPACER AND CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed July 29, 1955 v \b, h 18 i i- 18 O 9 14 6 N, I 6

Snnentor EK /004m attorney Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED SPACER AND CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS This invention relates to a combined spacer and clamp for concrete forms and is directed particularly to a device for positioning and holding the various parts of forms for concrete struc 5 tures prior to and during the pouring of concrete and during the hardening of concrete placed therein.

Forms used in the construction of poured concrete structures are generally constructed of 10 boards or other sheet material of sufiicient strength, suitably secured together and rigidly supported in proper position. When, for instance, it is desired to cast a concrete wall or partition, a wall form for each side of the wall is usually built up of boards positioned horizontally edge to edge and secured to supporting upright timbers or studs. be properly spaced from each other in order to enclose a space of desired wall thickness there- 20 between. Likewise the wall forms must be rigidly supported in order to prevent bulging or sagging when large masses of concrete are poured into the space between the forms. Horizontal timbers or braces termed walers are generally positioned at intervals, outward of and secured to the vertical studding in order to assist in maintaining the wall forms in rigid alinement.

It is the object of this invention to provide a I device by means of which the spacing between the parts of forms for concrete structures will be accurately determined during assembly of the forms and maintained during the pouring and hardening of concrete therein. a

It is the further object of this invention to provide a spacing and clamping device for rigidly interconnecting the various parts of forms for concrete structures and tending to prevent relative movement between said parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide acombined spacer and clamp for properly positioning and securely holding the opposite faces of forms for a concrete wall or partition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. combined spacer and clamp of simple construction and readily'adaptable for use in assembling forms for concrete walls of any desired thickness.

It is also the object of this invention to provide a combined spacer and clamp which facilitates the accurate assembly of concrete forms by un- 50 skilled labor and which may be reused many times.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The wall formsmust Figure 1 is a vertical view partly in section of a poured concrete wall and the forms therefor showing the preferred construction of my combined form spacing and clamping device;

Figure 2 is a horizontal View partly in section of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the clamping assemblies of the device.

Referring to the drawing, for the purpose of illustration, the forms for a poured-concrete wall 23 comprise two similar and opposing faces 4 built up of boards extending horizontally, and arranged with the edge of one board abutting the edge of the next board. The boards comprising each face of the wall form may be secured to spaced vertical studding 5 where it is desired to form a fiat wall surface. The horizontally extending walers 6 may be secured to the outer edge of the studs 5 for adding rigidity to the wall forms. Before the concrete can be poured into the space between the form faces 4, it is necessary to position the faces at the proper distance from each other equal to the desired thickness of concrete wall.

The spacing means of this invention consists of a sleeve or bar I having an effective length equal to the desired wall thickness, and having portions or shoulders adapted to engage the inner face of each side of the wall form. The spacing element 1 may comprise a length of heavy pipe of suitable diameter, or it may be a solid bar; The ends of the spacing sleeve 1 are provided with threaded portions for engagement with the eye bolts or anchors 9. The spacing element 1 is preferably internally threaded to receive the externally threaded portion of the eye bolt 9 extending through holes l5 drilled in the form or wall boards 4.

The eye bolt or anchor 9 is preferably provided with a tapered end II, by which the threaded shank of the bolt may be easily guided through the holes l5 drilled in the form board 4 and into the internal thread of the spacer element 1. The eye or opening l3 of the bolt 9 is of sufficient size to receive a pliable or flexible member such as the chain l6. A projecting lug or fin I4 is provided on the body of the eye bolt 9 to prevent turning thereof by rotation of the sleeve I when said eye bolt is drawn into a position such that the-fin l4 engages or cuts into the outer face of said board 4.

A lever I8 is attached to one end of the chain l6 by providing a notch I 9 in one edge intermediate the ends of the lever and by swaging or otherwise closing down the lip of the notchover a portion of an end chain link positioned in the notch as shown in Figure 3. The chain I6 is thus permanently fastened to the lever I8. The other end of the chain I6 is provided with a relatively large link or ring I1 which is of a size sufficient to prevent its passage through the opening I3 of the eye bolt 9 through which the links of the chain I6 pass. The lever I8 is provided with a relatively long grip or handle ending in a prong 22 extending perpendicular to the axis of the lever. The short end of the lever I8 is provided with a hooked projection or jaw 22 adapted to enter into the opening of any link or the chain It for applying tension to said chain as the device is used in practice.

It will be noted from the above description that the spacing and clamping device shown consists of the spacing element 1 and two individual tensioning and clamping assemblies detachably connected to the ends of the spacer I. Each of the tensioning assemblies consists of a lever, chain and eye bolt or anchor, fastened together so that the parts cannot become separated and lost from each other.

The preferred method of using this device in the assembly and clamping of forms for poured concrete structures is as follows: One face of the wall form is first built of suitable boards or sheet material 4 secured to the studs 5 and properly positioned. Holes I5 are drilled through the wall form 4 at intervals for the reception of eye bolts 9 of the clamping device. The walers 6 are secured to the studs 5 adjacent the positions of the holes IS. The shank of an eye bolt 9 is then inserted in and pushed through one of the holes I5 in the form 4. A spacing sleeve I having an effective length equal to the desired wall thickness is then screwed onto the projecting shank of the eye bolt 9. By lightly pulling on the sleeve I as it is screwed onto the eye bolt shank, the eye bolt is pulled to a position in which the integral lug l4 engages the outside face of the form board 4 and thereby prevents the eye bolt from turning. The sleeve I need only be screwed onto the eye bolt shank a few turns in order to make a secure connection between the parts. It is not necessary to screw the sleeve and eye bolt together as far as possible. Next, the chain I6 passing through the opening I3 of the eye bolt 9 is passed or looped around the adjacent waler 6 and the hook 2i of the lever I8 inserted within a link on the free portion of the chain I6. The lever is then turned manually until the chain I6 is tightened and the eye bolt 9 drawn towards the waler 6 thereby causing the shoulder of the spacing sleeve I to engage the inner face of the form board 4. Thus the wall form 4 is drawn against the studs 5 and likewise the waler is drawn against the studs 5. When enough lever action has been applied to place the form 4, stud 5, and waler 6 under suitable compression to insure proper rigidity, the lever I8 is secured in the clamping position by driving the prong 22 into the waler B by means of a small mallet, hammer, or the like.

After one face of the form has been thus assembled, the opposite face is placed in approximate position adjacent the clamped face. Suitable holes I5 are drilled in this latter form in properly spaced positions which willv be in approximate alinement with the spacing elements already clamped to the opposing wall form. An eye bolt 9 is inserted through each hole and screwed into the end of the corresponding spacing sleeve I. The tapered end II on the shank of the eye bolt 9 assists in starting the eye bolt thread properly in the threaded spacing sleeve I. The chain I6 of the latter eye bolt 9 is then passed or looped about the waler 6 and tensioned by operation of the lever I8 as hereinbefore explained. The wall forms are thereby accurately spaced, interconnected, and rigidly clamped to the supporting studs and bracing.

After the wall forms 4 have been thus assembled, spaced and clamped, the concrete or other plastic mix may be poured in the space between the forms and the cast wall allowed to harden. The forms are released by drawing the prongs 22 out of the walers 6, releasing and disconnecting the chains I6 from the walers, and removing the eye bolts 9 from the spacing members I. The

forms 4, studs 5, and walers 6 may then be removed from the cast wall 23. The spacing sleeves or elements 7, remaining in the cast concrete 1 wall, may be easily withdrawn or driven out, and

the resulting hole filled with plastic concrete which hardens as a part of the solid wall.

Among the advantages of the described spacing and clamping device is the possibility of using the be of any desired length depending on the thickness of the concrete structure to be cast and, if desired, may be left in the finished structure for use in fastening pipes, etc., thereto. The device accurately spaces the parts of the forms during assembly without the necessity of taking measurements. Obviously, the three assemblies which make up a complete spacing and clamping device may be used many times, as there is little wear on the parts and no small elements to become misplaced or damaged.

Although the above description relates to the use of the spacing and clamping device in the construction of plain concrete walls, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the device is equally valuable for use in the assembly and clamping of various shapes of forms for many different kinds of molded structures. It will also be apparent that many changes in minor details, proportions and design may be carried out within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined spacing and clamping device for positioning and holding opposing faces of braced forms used for molding plastic material, the combination comprising, a spacing element having a shoulder at either end thereof in contact with opposing faces of said form respectively, an eye bolt member having a shank extending through the wall of said form and removably secured to said spacing element, a chain associated with said eye bolt member extending around a form bracing member, and lever means associated with said chain for tensioning the same whereby said spacing element and the adjacent wall form are drawn towards said bracing member.

2. In a combined spacing and clamping device for positioning and holding opposing faces of forms for molding plastic material, said forms having bracing members, the combination comprising, a spacing element positioned between opposing faces of said form and having a shoulder at either end thereof in contact with said opposing faces, an anchor member having a shank extending through the wall of said form and removably secured to said spacing element, said anchor member having an eye at its outer end, a flexible member passing through the eye of said anchor member and around a form bracing member, and means on both ends of said flexible member of greater size than the eye of said eye bolt member, one of said means being a. lever for tensioning said flexible member.

3. In a combined spacing and clamping device for positioning and holding opposing faces of forms for molding plastic material, said forms having bracing members, the combination comprising, a spacing element positioned between opposing faces of said form and. having a shoulder at either end thereof in contact With said opposing faces, an anchor member having a shank extending through the wall of said form and removably secured to said spacing element, said anchor member having an eye at its outer end, a. chain passing through the eye of said anchor member and around a form bracing member, lever means associated with one end of said chain engaging an intermediate portion of said chain for tensioning the same, and a locking member associated with said first-mentioned means for securing said means in the chain tensioning position.

4. In a combined spacing and clamping device for positioning and holding opposing faces of forms for molding plastic material, said forms having bracing members, the combination comprising, an internally threaded spacing sleeve having a shoulder at either end thereof in contact with opposing faces of said form respectively, an eye bolt having an externally threaded shank extending through the wall of said form and into engagement with said spacing sleeve, means on said eye bolt engaging said wall to restrict rotation of said eye bolt during assembly of said form, and flexible tensioning means associated with said eye bolt extending around a form bracing member for drawing the shoulder of said spacing sleeve against the face of said form to hold said form against said bracing member.

5. A combined spacer and clamp for a concrete form comprising a screw-threaded spacing element, an eye bolt for engagement with said 20 element, a chainpassing through the eye of the said eye bolt, means on one end of the chain to prevent its separation from the eye bolt, and lever means connected with the other end of the chain for engaging an intermediate portion of said chain 25 and applying tension thereto.

HARRY E. COATES. 

